While work continues nightly on southbound I-35 between I-44 and I-40 for a 4-mile resurfacing project, motorists are advised to begin planning now for a second weekend closure on northbound I-35 on Sept. 30. A closure on southbound I-35 on Sept. 16 was completed ahead of schedule.
Northbound I-35 will be narrowed to one lane between the N. 10th St. (mm 129) near the I-35/I-40 Fort Smith junction and I-44 junction at N. 63rd St. (mm 133) nightly through September for resurfacing. Motorists can expect intermittent ramp closures for paving operations at N. 10th St., US-62/N. 23rd St., N. 36th St., N. 50th St. and N. 63rd St. Southbound I-35 will be intermittently narrowed between I-44 and I-40 for guardrail repairs nightly this week.
This project is an interim fix to help preserve the pavement and improve the surface for motorists until future reconstruction of this section of I-35, which is tentatively scheduled for 2029. In an effort to shorten the disruption to I-35 traffic, the department will fully close one direction of I-35 at a time during two separate weekends in September. These closures are expected to shorten the project from an original estimated five months to less than two months, weather permitting. Home game day traffic to both OU and OSU games and traffic to the State Fair of Oklahoma were taken into consideration in scheduling the weekend closures.
NORTHBOUND I-35 CLOSURE:
- Sept. 30 — Northbound I-35 will be fully closed between I-40 (mm 127) and I-44 (mm 133) from 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, to 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 3., weather permitting. Detour will be I-40 to northbound I-235/US-77 to eastbound I-44 to northbound I-35. Ramp closures for this weekend include:
- Westbound I-40 ramp to Sunnylane Rd.,
- Westbound I-40 ramp to Scott St., and
- Westbound I-40 ramp to northbound I-35.
Motorists are advised to start planning for their alternate routes ahead of time and expecting congestion and delays at both the I-44 and I-40 junctions during the weekend closure. Updates will be sent closer to the closures occurring.
After the weekend closure opens Oct. 3, motorists can expect intermittent nightly lane closures to complete striping, guardrail repairs and other clean up items through mid-October.
The nearly $5 million project was awarded in May by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission to Haskell Lemon Construction of Oklahoma City. Weather permitting, the project is expected to complete by mid-October.
Northbound I-35 will be closed between I-40 and I-44 from 7 p.m. Sept. 30 through 6 a.m. Oct. 3 for resurfacing. Alternate routes are I-235 to I-44. to I-35.
